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HE CULTIVATION 



OF 



MUSHROOMS 




BY 



EDWARD H. JACOB 

Price, SO cents WEST CHESTER. PA. 

MANUFACTURER OF 

MUSHROOM SPAWN 



Copyrighted 1914, by E. H. Jacob. 




A STUDY OF 

MUSHROOMS 

AND 

MUSHROOM SPAWN 



BY 



EDW. H. JACOB 

West Chester, Pa. 



Copyrighted 1914, by E. H. Jacob 






PREFACE 

•T^HIS PAMPHLET has been written by one who 
has had a large and successful experience in 
growing Mushrooms for the markets. It was his 
misfortune to meet failure after failure at first, due 
principally to poor Spawn, unfavorable conditions 
of the beds and other reasons. He is, therefore, 
unusually well qualified to guide those who desire to 
grow Mushrooms for home and local use. 

It is my desire to give concise, accurate and most 
reliable information without making any misleading 
or extravagant statements, and to write in such a way 
as to be easily understood and successfully followed. 

EDWARD H. JACOB 



©aA369705 



THE SOURCE OF SUCCESS 

It is acknowledged by all successful mushroom growers 
that the first and most important thing to be considered is the 
spawn. No matter how favorable conditions may be, no matter 
what care is taken in making the beds, selecting the location 
or composting the manure, if the spawn is not good, mushrooms 
will not be plentiful and in many cases no mushrooms at all 
will make appearance. 

The writer of this pamphlet spent nine years in carefully 
studying out the spawn question, and during that period spent 
thousands and thousands of dollars in experimental work. All 
of the different makes of spawn obtainable were tested, both 
French, English and American, with varying results. Some- 
times he obtained a reasonable yield of mushrooms and fre- 
quently none at all. 

The result of all these experiments brought the conclusion 
that the only reliable method of producing spawn is by a graft- 
ing process discovered by Dr. B. M. Duggar while he was con- 
nected with the United States Department of Agriculture at 
^^'ashington, D. C. 

This method of making spawn is directly responsible for 
the liberal supply of fresh mushrooms on the market in season. 
If we had to depend on foreign spawn, as in the past, mush- 
rooms would still be scarce and high. 

The grower would rather pick a pound of mushrooms 
to each square foot of bed surface at an average price of 25 
cents a pound than to pick one-half pound (more often less) 
at 50 cents a pound, which was the rule years ago. 



MUSHROOMS GROWN FOR HOME USE 

It is a very easy matter to plant a bed of mushrooms in 
the cellar or in an outbuilding, for home use, by following- 
instructions and using good spawn. In this case the results 
are reasonably certain. It is a very great satisfaction to have 
this luxury during the entire winter season at the very lowest 
cost. 

Growing mushrooms on a large scale becomes more com- 
plicated, and would require the continuous attention of a com- 
petent and interested person. 

HOW MANY MUSHROOMS ARE GROWN IN THE 
UNITED STATES 

Conditions vary from year to year, and no accurate esti- 
mate is available as to how many pounds of mushrooms are 
grown in the United States. We manufactured and sold 
enough spawn last season to grow 2,000,000 pounds of mush- 
rooms, the output of the year having increased by 100,000 
bricks over the previous year. 

This does not mean that new growers have come into the 
field, but, rather, the discarding of poor or unreliable spawn 
by old growers has been general. 

It would therefore be reasonable to conclude that from 
four to five million pounds of fresh mushrooms (aside from 
field-grown) are now used annually in the United States. 

COST OF GROWING A POUND OF MUSHROOMS 

The actual cost of growing mushrooms varies according 
to the yield per square foot of bed surface. If one pound is 
picked to every square foot, the cost is much lowxr than when 
only one-half pound to the square foot is picked. 

Growers who are obliged to purchase manure at a distance, 
pay the freight on it and employ competent men to handle and 
care for the mushroom-growing plants, estimate the cost of 
producing mushrooms at 15 to 25 cents per pound. 

Those who grow mushrooms for pleasure, and have their 
own stables, or get manure from a neighboring stable, are at 
very little expense and could grow mushrooms at less than 
half the above cost. 

4 



MARKET PRICES 

Users of mushrooms generally pay at the store from 40 
to 60 cents a pound for mushrooms, and when these can be 
delivered from the grower to the user, these prices are not 
overestimated. 

If mushrooms are to be grown for the larger markets 
like New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh or other 
Eastern cities, the net prices realized by the Eastern grower 
will be much less. In fact, the markets occasionally are badlv 
overstocked, and mushrooms sell below the actual cost of 
production. It would therefore seem to be most profitable 
when mushrooms can be delivered to the user by the grower. 

In a majority of smaller towns and cities mushrooms are 
rather scarce, and local dealers are glad to take them at com- 
pensating prices. Meat is high in price and likely to be still 
higher. Mushrooms can often be used as a most delicious 
substitute. 



HOW TO COOK AND SERVE MUSHROOMS 

We have prepared a separate sheet giving the best and 
most practical ways of cooking mushrooms. This will be 
forwarded to anyone making application for it and enclosing 
a two-cent stamp. 



OUR METHOD OF TESTING ORIGINAL CULTURES 

Before our Brandywine Spawn is made up in quantity, 
the different varieties are first tested in our own beds and 
accurate record of production is each day carefully made. 

In this way we eliminate entirely unproductive varieties 
and choose only those which are most vigorous, perfect in 
shape and color and will make the greatest yield. 



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PRICE LIST 

The fact that Jacob's Brandywine Spawn costs a httle 
more than any other spawn made, and that the large and most 
successful growers are quite willing to pay more for it, means 
that they find it the most profitable to use. 

The BEST is always the CHEAPEST 

Jacob's Brandywine Spawn is made in three varieties, pure 
white, cream white and light brown at the following prices : 

One brick is enough for lo square feet of bed surface. 

I brick or more (by mail, prepaid), 35 cents a brick. 
5 bricks or more (by express, not prepaid), 25 cents a brick. 
25 bricks or more (by exp. or frt.. not prep'd), 20 cts. a brick. 
50. bricks or more (by exp. or frt., not prep'd), 18 cts. a brick. 
135 bricks (one case) (by exp. or frt., not prepaid), 15 cents 
a brick. 
Stamps, money orders or checks should accompany orders 
to insure prompt shipment. 

,^anu/a£lured Solely by 

EDWARD H. JACOB 

WEST CHESTER, PA., 

u. s. A. 



On the following pages will be found full and complete 
instructions for those who wish to grow Mushrooms for home 
use as well as for the market. 



SELECTION OF A PLACE TO GROW MUSHROOMS 

Any cellar which maintains a uniform temperature of 
from 45 to 65 degrees may be used. 

Any barn or outbuilding may be supplied with heat and 
used successfully, but the temperature should be kept as nearly 
tmiform as possible. 

Any cold building which it is not practical to heat, may be 
planted during September while the weather is still warm and 
the beds allowed to get cold and even freeze up solid during 
winter months. Such beds will produce the finest kind of 
mushrooms during the early spring months when the tempera- 
ture rises sufiiciently. 

The larger growers usually build houses especially for 
mushrooms and heat by means of hot water pipes. Some use 
abandoned caves or mines, while florists often grow mush- 
rooms successfully under greenhouse benches. 



PREPARATION OF MANURE 

Select fresh horse manure where wheat or oats straw has 
been used as bedding. • 

Never use old manure or manure mixed with shavings or 
sawdust. 

Place the fresh manure in a neat pile and cover with two 
or three inches of earth. 

In the course of three or four days turn the manure over, 
shaking and mixing the earth in thoroughly. Add water if 
necessary to keep the manure in reasonably moist condition. 

Cover again with earth which will be sufficient, and allow 
the pile to heat, through the action of bacteria in the manure, 
for five or six days. Then turn again, shaking up thoroughly 
each time, and turning the outer dried or whitened portion of 
the pile toward the centre. Add water with a sprinkler when 
necessary to keep plenty of moisture. After about four turn- 
ings in this way, covering a period of three or four weeks the 
manure will be sufficiently rotted and decomposed to make into 
the beds. 

MAKING THE BEDS 

The manure should be placed on the floor or prepared bed 
spaces to a depth of 8 to lo inches in winter weather. In warm 
weather 6 or 7 inches are enough. 

The compost should be compressed in making the bed and 
provided it is not too wet it may be tramped, which prevents 
too much drying out, while the manure is heating in the beds. 

The only practical test of the proper moisture content of 
the manure at time of making beds, is when upon compres- 
sion in the hand water cannot readily be squeezed out of it. 

After the beds are made up they should be covered and 
allowed to heat for a week or ten days. After this length of 
time the temperature should be watched until it falls to 70 
degrees, when the beds may safely be spawned. The tempera- 
ture may be obtained by inserting a common glass thermometer 
in the manure. 

During the process of heating, after the beds are made up, 
the temperature often rises as high as 125 degrees, and it is 
never safe to spawn until it falls to 70 degrees. 

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SPAWNING 

The bricks of spawn should be broken into ten or twelve 
pieces and placed on the surface of the beds 8 to lo inches 
apart each way. Then go over the bed again, raising the man- 
ure and burying the spawn about half -inch below the surface 
and tamping (pressing) firmly over each piece, leaving the bed 
level on top. 

In about two weeks dig up a piece or two of spawn care- 
fully, and if the mycelium is noticed running out like a mould 
from the brick into the manure it is time to case. 

This is done by putting one inch of sifted soil evenly over 
the top of the manure. 

VENTILATION 

Where mushrooms are grown on a large scale, proper 
ventilation is very necessary. The overhead ventilators are 
generally preferred, as the ventilation is more uniform with- 
out draught. 

The ventilators should remain open when outside tem- 
perature is right, and at other times for one or two hours 
each day. 

Where small beds are used in cellars or out-buildings, 
extra ventilation is not so necessary. 

Avoid all draughts. 



WATERING 

AMiile the room should be kept moist, little or no water 
should be used on the beds after spawning till the mushrooms 
begin to appear, which is generally from six to eight weeks 
from time of spawning. 

Then the beds at first should be sprinkled lightly every day 
or two till the surface is quite modst, after that one or two 
sprinklings a week will be sufficient, according to the condi- 
tion of the beds. If they get dry quickly water oftener. 




13 



PICKING 

The mushrooms should be picked .once a day just before 
they open out. {Sec cut.) 

The root should be twisted gently and taken out with the 
mushroom disturbing- the earth as little as possible. 

The stems should be cut off and the mushrooms packed in 
baskets. 

When grown in small quantities, the i -pound ventilated 
boxes are often used as a matter of convenience, but the large 
growers ship generally in four-pound baskets. (Sec cut.) 




Ripe Enough to Pick 



The One-Pound Ventilated Boxes 



The beds may be expected to produce under ordinary 
conditions for a period of from two to four months, depending 
largely upon the temperature. At an average of 50 degrees 
they will yield at least four months and every other day would 
be quite often enough to pick. 

At 65 degrees they must be picked regularly every day 
and the crop will be almost completed in two months. 

Cooler temperature makes heavier and better mushrooms. 

14 



Points to Remember 

Mushrooms cannot be successfully grown at a tempera- 
ture above 65 degrees. A temperature of 70 degrees for 24 
hours will kill all growing mushrooms, but more will come up 
from the same beds when the temperature falls. 

\^iolent fluctuations in temperature are undesirable. 

Cold wdll retard growth, but will not otherwise injure the 
beds. Freezing will destroy mushrooms already above the 
ground, but will not hurt the spawn in the beds. 

There is probably more injury done by overwatering than 
by any other one thing. 

Keep the surface moist but never soak the beds. 

Never cover the bed with earth until it has been spawned 
10 days or two weeks, or the temperature of the manure may 
rise sufficiently to injure the spawn. 

Never purchase spawn because it is cheap, neither be led 
into paying extravagant prices through misleading advertise- 
ments. 

If any insect pest makes appearance or any diseased con- 
dition arises, write the United States Department of Agricul- 
ture at Washington, D. C, for information. 

Spawn should be as fresh as it is possible to obtain it, 
should be kept in a cool dry place till used. Improper storage 
will damage it in a comparatively short time. 

Imported brands of spawn are apt to be old and often 
worthless. 



A 



THE FOUR-POUND SHIPPING BASKET 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




